Twin-barrel gun with a drum and a multistation rammer



Dec. 20, 1960 J. F. O'BRIEN 2,965,006

TWIN-BARREL GUN WITH A DRUM AND A MULTISTATION RAMMER Filed Sept. 26,1955 1 3 She'ets-Sheet 1 I no 1 II i I l l p I i i i i I i I o a l ml i1 I i i i I IAJVENTOR. JET-1n F. I: Burial-L A TTUIQNE Y5 2,965,006TWIN-BARREL GUN WITH A DRUM AND A MULTISTATION HAMMER Filed Sept. 26,1955 Dec. 20, 1960 4 J. F. O'BRIEN 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ill, on kw ri En.

- HTTOENE YS 2,965,006 TWIN-BARREL. GUN WITH A DRUM AND A MULTISTATIONRAMMER Filed Sept. 26, 1955 J. F. O'BRIEN Dec. 20, 1960 3 Sheets-SheetI5 'Amenflmenn A ATraz/wsYs TWIN-BARREL GUN WITH A DRUM AND v AMULTISTATION RAIVIMER (Granted under Title 35, US. Code (1952), see.266) Claims.

The invention described herein; may be manufactured and used by or forthe Government for governmental purposes without the payment of anyroyalty thereon.

My invention relates to a twin-barreled revolver-type weapon. and moreparticularly to a rammer therefor..

A. gun having twin barrels for firing ammunition consisting of separatecases and projectiles is, provided with a drum having alternate chambersfor respectively inclosing the cases and projectiles. In operation acartridge is fired in one of the. barrels, after which the rammer isactuated, and then the drum is rotated for discharge through the otherone of the barrels, responsive to force of the discharge.

When a cartridge is combined at the breech of one barrel for dischargetherethrough, a projectile is chambered in the drum chamber adjacent theother barrel and during the subsequent ramming the projectile ispropelled from the adjacent chamber into the barrel and a case andanother projectile are respectively charged into the, pair of chambersrotationally precedent to. the adjacent chamber so that during thefollowing rotation of the drum the case is rotated in back of thebarrel-inclosed projectile and the projectile in the drum is moved intoalignment with the other one of the barrels.

It is the object of my invention, therefore, to provide a charger toaccomplish such ramming.

Other aims and objects of my invention will appear from the followingdescription thereof.

In carrying out my invention a gun provided with twin barrels and a sixchamber cartridge drum is provided with a pair of rammers respectivelyrelated to opposite ones of the barrels for operation responsive todischarge of cartridges in the barrels. The rammers are respectivelydisposed in pairs of tracks and respectively provided with cylindersincluding double-acting pistons for alternate reciprocal operationresponsive to discharge gases from the barrels.

Each of the rammers includes a projection for chambering a projectile inthe relative one of the barrels when aligned therewith and a pair ofprojections for simultaneously charging a case and a projectile into therespec tive chambers rotationally precedent to the chamber from whichthe projectile is rammed into the aligned barrel.

For a more complete understanding of my invention reference is made tothe following description thereof and the accompanying drawings inwhich:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view partly cut away of a gun incorporating myinvention in battery position for the upper barrel before firing ofcartridges 40 therethrough;

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the rammer at the end of the chargingstroke;

Fig. 3 is a view along line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view along line 44 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross-section of the drum in battery positionfor the lower barrel.

Accordingly, a revolver-type gun 12 includes a receiver 14, twin barrels16 and 18 secured thereon, a drum 20 2,965,006 Patented Dec. 20, 1960rotatable on the receiver and a pair of similar rammers 22 axiallyslidable in receiver 14. Rollers 23 of rammers 22 engage slots 25 ofreceiver 14 to retain rammers 22 laterally therein.

Drum 20 includes chambers 24, 26, 28 and alternately disposed chambers30, 32, and 34 for respectively inclosing cases 36 and projectiles 38 ofsplit cartridges 40. The chambers are arranged in angularly-spaceddiametral pairs for respectively inclosing a case and a projectile.Cartridge 40 is shown in alignment with barrel 16 for dischargetherethrough (Fig. l), and a projectile 38 is shown in barrel 18 (Fig.2). A case 36 and a projectile 38, respectively, are shown in chambers26 and 30 (Fig.2).

Each of the rammers 22 is secured to a double-acting piston 44 in acylinder 46 by means of a link 47 pivoted at 49; in receiver 14. Therear ends of the cylinders are respectively connected to barrels 16 and18 through tubes 53 for forward stroke operation of the pistonsrespectively responsive to discharge gases from the barrels. The forwardends of the cylinders are connected to the opposite barrels throughtubes 55 for return of the rammers to battery position.

A spring-biased projection 48 and a fixed projection 50 are provided oneach. rammer 22 for respectively charging a projectile 38 and a base 36into chambers 30 and 26 during the forward stroke of piston 44,Projections 48 and 50 are constructed to dispose case 36 flush with therear surface of drum 20- and projectile 38 in an intermediate positionin chamber 30, respectively.

Projectile chambers 30, 32 and 34 are provided with axial slits 51 and aprojection 52 of rammer 22 includes a spring-biased arm 54 for insertionthrough the axial slit 51 of chamber 32 in the battery station of barrel20 to ram projectile 38 from the chamber into such barrel responsive tothe forward stroke of piston 44.

Gun 12 is provided with an actuator (not shown) in engagement with cam56 of drum 20 for successively rotating the case and projectile chamberssimultaneously and alternately to alternate battery stations in axialalignment with relative ones of the barrels responsive to discharge ofcartridges therein. The drum is rotated after charging and arm 54 iscammingly pivoted out of the projectile chambers for tangentialengagement with drum 20 during the rotation. A torsion spring 58 isdisposed between arm 54 and projection 52 to bias arm 54 through slit 51of the following projectile chamber when in the battery station. Rearend 60 of spring 58 is slidable in a slot 62 of projection 52 and a stop64 is provided in projection 52 for engagement with a pilot piston 66 toretain arm 54 in the projection.

The remaining rammer 22 operates similarly responsive to discharge of acartridge through barrel 18, simultaneously to charge a case and aprojectile in drum 20, and ram a previously charged projectile intobarrel 16.

The components of the rammers described operate at speeds comparable tothe speeds of the rammer components of single-barreled guns.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described indetail herein, it is evident that many variations may be devised withinthe spirit and scope thereof and the following claims are intended toinclude such variations.

I claim:

1. In a gun including twin barrels and a drum provided with chambers inalternately disposed and angularly-spaced diametral pairs forrespectively inclosing a case and a projectile of a split cartridge anddisposed for battery station axial alignment of the chambers of one ofthe pairs respectively with the barrels for discharge of a cartridgethrough one thereof, axial alignment of a projectile with the other ofthe barrels, and alignment in ree respective charging stations of thecase and projectile chambers rotationally subsequent to the projectilechamber of the one pair, and a rammer for simultaneously charging a caseand a projectile into the charging station chambers and propelling theaxial alignment projectile into the other of the barrels responsive tothe discharge.

2. In a gun including twin barrels, and a drum provided with chambers inalternately disposed and angularly-spaced diametral pairs forrespectively inclosing a case and a projectile of a cartridge anddisposed for rotation for sequential disposal of the pairs in battery-stations of alternate axial alignment of the chambers of the pairs withthe barrels respectively for formation of a cartridge for dischargethereof through one of the barrels, for alignment of a projectile withthe other of the barrels, and for simultaneous axial alignment inrespective charging stations of the case and projectile chambersrotationally subsequent to the projectile chamber of the pair, acharging device comprising a pair of trifurcated rammcrs each providedwith projections to charge a case and a projectile respectively intosaid charging station chambers and an arm to simultaneously propel aprojectile from the battery station chambers into the other of thebarrels responsive to the discharge of a cartridge.

3. [n a gun including twin barrels, a receiver and a drum mounted tosaid receiver for rotation respective to said barrels, said drum beingprovided with chambers in alternately disposed and angularly-spaceddiametral pairs for respectively inclosing a case and a projectile of acartridge and disposed for sequential disposal of the pairs in batterystations of alternate axial alignment of the chambers of the pairs withthe barrels for formation of cartridges for discharge thereof throughone of the barrels, for alignment of projectiles with the other of thebarrels, and for simultaneous axial alignment in respective chargingstations of the case and projectile chambers rotationally subsequent tothe projectile chamber of the battery station pair, the projectilechambers having axial slits therein, a charging device comprising a pairof trifurcated rammcrs slidably disposed for reciprocation in thereceiver and each being provided with projections to charge a case and aprojectile respectively into said charging station chambers and aprojection having a tip pivotable responsive to the rotation andspring-biased for projection into the axial slits to simultaneouslypropel a projectile from the battery station pair into the other of thebarrels responsive to the discharge of a cartridge.

4. A charging device as in claim 3 with a pair of levers respectivelypivotally connected between said rammcrs and the receiver and a pair ofcylinders disposed thereon and provided with pistons respectivelypivotally secured to said levers, said cylinders being respectivelydisposed for opposite rearward and forward communication with alternateones of the barrels for the respective forward and rearward strokes ofthe reciprocation responsive to gases from the discharge.

5. In a gun including oppositely-disposed twin barrels and a drumprovided with chambers in alternately-disposed and angularly-spaceddiametral pairs for respectively inclosing a case and a projectile of asplit cartridge and disposed for alternate battery station alignment ofthe chamber of one of the pairs respectively with the barrels fordischarge of the cartridge and alignment of the remaining pairs of thechambers in respective charging stations, and a rammer forsimultaneously charging the remaining pairs and the other of the barrelsfrom the drum responsive to the discharge of a cartridge.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,332,060 Pacilli Feb. 24, 1920 2,708,803 Schneider May 24, 19552,790,353 Bird Apr. 30, 1957

